Senior Occupational Therapist (XR06)

Another exciting opportunity has become available on our popular Band 6 rotation within the Childrens OT service at The Leeds Childrens Hospital. The rotation covers both inpatient and outpatient services, treating children within wards, outpatient clinics and via home and school visits. Experience will be gained within several clinical areas of acute Paediatrics including Rheumatology, Chronic Pain, Neurology, Neuromuscular, Oncology, Neurodevelopmental babies, Orthopaedics and general medicine/surgery. Our mission is to make a positive difference in children's lives through the use of specialist, individualised and fun therapy in partnership with the MDT, the child and their family.

Main duties of the job

• Carry a caseload working within a team of skilled occupational therapists and the wider multidisciplinary team.
• Work with OT and MDT colleagues providing holistic, goal focused assessment and interventions for children and their families. Interventions could include:

• Neurological and cognitive assessment/rehab
• Posture management
• Fatigue and pain management
• Management of spasticity/tone
• Hand assessment/therapy and splinting

About us

The Children's Occupational Therapy team work across Leeds Children's Hospital, covering both inpatient wards and outpatients. Our core hours are Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00; flexible working patterns can be considered. We are a very friendly and supportive team, working together to provide the highest quality of care to our patients. We are highly committed to CPD and wellbeing of staff. Our mission is to make a positive difference in children's lives through the use of specialist, individualised and fun therapy in partnership with the MDT, the child and their family.

Leeds Children's Hospital provides services to Children and families from within the city of Leeds and regionally. As we are a Teaching Hospital and specialist centre for many services, you will gain experience working with rare and complex conditions, making this an exciting and dynamic place to work.

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

• To work within the Occupational Therapy Service, providing effective Occupational Therapy intervention to various clinical areas.
• To manage autonomously a clinical workload at a specialist level: assessing and treating patients and maintaining associated records.
• To develop and apply specialist knowledge, gained from past experience, on the job experience and specialist training.
• To provide a patient-focused service following the Occupational Therapy process (screen referrals, assess and plan treatment programmes, implement and evaluate treatment programmes, monitor and discharge) and using Occupational Therapy core skills.
• To supervise and support Occupational Therapists.
• To delegate work to, supervise and support Occupational Therapy Support Staff.
• To supervise and educate Occupational Therapy Students.
• To act as a specialist Occupational Therapy resource for colleagues, carers and patients.
• To be actively involved in team and service developments including audit and research.

Clinical Responsibilities

This post holder will be responsible for providing complex occupational therapy intervention in a specific clinical specialty. The post holder will work as an autonomous practitioner addressing occupational therapy performance skills, social context and activity demands in collaboration with patients, carers and colleagues. Clinical intervention may take place in a variety of settings including wards, therapy departments, clinics, people’s homes, workplaces, community facilities, child care and educational establishments. The work involves close liaison with the multi-disciplinary team and community-based health and social care providers.

Team Responsibilities

• Management, supervision and support of Occupational Therapists, Support Staff and Students.
• Deputising for Band 7.
• Routine organisation and maintenance of the department/section.
• Participation in projects and long-term team developments.
• To offer continuity to Head Occupational Therapist and colleagues in the team.
• Leading and participating in in-service training.
• To attend bi-monthly seniors meetings to evaluate and develop the service.
• To promote changes to policies, procedures and practices within the specialist clinical area as identified in the team plan.
• Responsibility for checking and cleaning equipment in line with Trust and services health and safety policies.

Core Behaviours and Skills

• Written and Verbal Skills: Ability to maintain clear lines of appropriate communication.
• Ability to work as part of a Team (OT and MDT).
• Interpersonal Skills.
• Problem-Solving Skills.
• Clinical Reasoning.
• Analytical Skills.
• Presentation Skills.
• Facilitation Skills.
• Coaching Skills.
• Computer Skills.
• Time Management and ability to prioritise.
• Ability to Delegate.
• Effective Supervision.
• Ability to work within flexible hours.
• Ability to initiate and take responsibility for personal development.
• Able to supervise others.
• Able to work flexible hours on request.

Core Knowledge and Understanding

• To a specialist level: Occupational Therapy Process (screen referrals, assess and plan treatment programmes, implement and evaluate treatment programmes, monitor and plan discharge).
• Apply relevant theories and models of Occupational Therapy.
• Assess motor, perceptual, cognitive, emotional and psychosocial components of occupational performance.
• Aware of Risk Assessment and Management.
• Understanding of functional implications of illness and disability.
• Disability Rights and Legislation.
• Aware of the matrix of agencies involved in the delivery of services.
• Aware of facets of clinical governance.
• Organisational Awareness.
• Diversity Awareness.
• Relevant national and professional guidelines, standards and frameworks.
• Relevant clinical conditions and prognosis.
• Specialised treatment techniques.
• Relevant standardised assessment.
• Provision and fitting of adaptive equipment.
• Fieldwork Education Training.

Principal Duties & Areas of Responsibility

Clinical

• To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload of patients.
• To deliver a service using the Occupational Therapy process (screen referrals, assess and plan treatment programmes, implement and evaluate treatment programmes, monitor and plan discharge) and core skills.
• To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and have the ability to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To establish individual patients, plan and carry out effective Occupational Therapy intervention to a specialist level, in the most appropriate environment taking into account each patient’s individual physical, social and emotional needs.
• To work autonomously, with mostly indirect supervision.
• To interpret and analyse at an advanced level, clinical and non-clinical information across a range of conditions.
• To use advanced investigative and analytical skills.
• To use clinical reasoning, critical thinking and analysis to develop individual goals and interventions which optimise functional ability.
• To plan and prioritise clinical work.
• To delegate work to support staff and obtain feedback from delegated tasks.
• To use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication tools/strategies to communicate complex information effectively to patients/carers. This may include patients/carers who may have difficulties in understanding or communicating.
• The information may relate to prognosis and rehabilitation outcomes.
• To utilise strategies of persuasion and motivation to ensure patients engage in intervention.
• To adopt a key role in complex discharge management, communicating appropriate information and acting as an advocate for patient/carers.
• All recommendations should focus on occupational performance and risk management in the patient’s own environment.
• To refer to internal and external agencies relevant to the patient’s needs using designated referral systems.
• To liaise with and work in collaboration with internal and external agencies.
• To act as a specialist resource for information and support to patients, carers and others.
• To ensure safe use of equipment by self and others.
• To be able to work in a stressful environment.
• To be able to impart difficult and unwelcome information regarding rehabilitation outcomes and support services.
• To be able to deal effectively with emotional and/or aggressive patients/carers.
• To participate in ward rounds, case conferences and meetings as required.
• To record interventions accurately and timely using team/trust documentation complying with Occupational Therapy guidelines and legislative requirements.
• To complete activity data using team/trust documentation and outcome measures.
• To provide written reports complying with Occupational Therapy guidelines and legislative requirements.
• To promote Occupational Therapy as a treatment medium and ensure high Occupational Therapy profile.
• To occasionally lead and participate in clinical governance and quality assurance programmes to ensure the delivery of a high quality and evidence based service.
• To occasionally lead and participate in the measurement and evaluation of work and current practices through the use of audit and outcome measures, either individually or as part of a clinical team.
• To initiate and participate in specialist research.
• To promote and initiate changes to policies, procedures and practices with the specialist clinical area.

Education and Training

• Take responsibility in agreement with line manager for personal development by ensuring that Continuing Professional Development remains a priority.
• Provide evidence of ongoing personal development.
• Undertake all mandatory training required for the role.
• Take an active role in in-service training and coaching colleagues, occasionally leading sessions, ensuring the sharing of information and reflection on learning experiences.
• Actively participate in activities/training to develop specialist skills and knowledge within the clinical area.
• Undertake fieldwork education of undergraduate students.
• Provide work experience and support for students from other health care disciplines.
• Provide spontaneous and planned advice/training to relatives, carers and others to promote understanding of the aims of the treatment plan and achievement of objectives.
• Provide spontaneous and planned advice/training to relatives, carers and others regarding the use of equipment, therapeutic procedures and handling of patients.

Person Specification

• Qualifications: HPC registration, Degree in Occupational Therapy / or equivalent, Fieldwork education training.
• Experience: A range of post qualification experience as an Occupational Therapist in a physical setting, Experience of working with children, Multi-disciplinary team working, Demonstrate continued professional development and up to date clinical skills, Knowledge of equipment, Awareness of clinical governance, Knowledge of child development.
• Skills & behaviours: Able to take responsibility, Able to self motivate, Flexible approach, Approachable and friendly, Team Worker, Mature and adaptable, Creative, Time management, Able to prioritise, Communication, Problem solving, Clinical Reasoning, Able to move and handle patients and equipment in line with Trust and service guidelines, Teaching and Coaching, Initiate and take responsibility for personal development of self and others, Able to supervise others, Ability to work flexible hours on request.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.